How to Help a Family Member Acquire a Visitor Visa

The United States prides itself on being an extremely diverse country where people from all over the world have started new and prosperous lives. Many times, people who have recently immigrated to this country will still have family members living in their country of origin who will want to visit. There are many types of visas that a person can apply for, so it might be confusing as to which visa your family member should get if they’re interested in visiting you.

How Do I Help My Family Member Get a Visa?

A citizen from a foreign country who wants to enter the United States must obtain a visitor visa. Usually, it will be a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay if it’s just for a visit or vacation. This kind of visitor visa is called a Tourism and Visit visa under visa category B-2. Once it’s established what type of visa your family member needs to acquire, then you can walk them through the application process. First, inform your family member that they will need to prove, under U.S. law, that they are not presuming to be an intended immigrant, but instead are just visiting temporarily. Any evidence might be required, such as an intended purpose of their trip, what specific time period they will be visiting, proof of funds to cover their expenses during their trip, and confirmation that they have a residence outside of the U.S. and any other proof of binding ties that they will have to leave the U.S. at the end of the visit. Then, they can apply for their visitor visa at the nearest U.S. embassy or Consulate in their country. Make sure they apply for their visa way in advance of their travel departure date. They will have to pay a non-refundable visa application fee, and then have an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. There will be wait times for the interview appointment and the visa processing, so the earlier your family member can do everything, the better.

The process for a temporary visa application is complicated, especially if you’re trying to help a family member in another country. One of the fundamental pillars of immigration law is family unification, and our immigration attorneys will do anything it takes to keep your family together. Our team of immigration attorneys at the Law Offices of Sweta Khandelwal are here to help you through the process and answer any questions you have. Contact us to get you or your family member started.